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Hi all!

I'm starting out a 16 track facility, some background: I already have recorded quite a few bands at my old work, a recording college, where we had a TL valve console among others...and some nice pre's etc... I've been engineering live for a while on and off too, and also operated my own MIDI/synth studio, but I never owned my own recording gear. So I could certainly use your feedback on my proposed/potential mini 16 track setup..

I have many mics now after a long Ebay haul, so no worries there. US has so many good prices! I'm in Australia you see, and we have chunky taxes whacked onto gear...plus less buying power I guess..anyway I digress.

Here is my proposed setup to record 16 tracks of whatever is thrown my way.

Soundcraft FX16 console - direct outs to M audio delta 1010. budget is a major consideration here for the time being.

Well..that's it ! Soundcraft console to 2 Delta 1010's for 16 tracks . Pretty simple. I've already got Cubase SX running my midi studio...and a rocking Pentium chip based DAW which like M audio cards.

I figure I can add preamps as I go...starting with a Sebatron perhaps as they are locally made and cheaper to me as i live in OZ (at least somethings cheaper for me ! )

I guess I'm after alternatives in the price range: baring in mind that the 1010 can be had local for a lot less than advertised, and the soundcraft can be had for $1500 AUD rather than $2600 AUD as it's on special... there's often something one overlooks in ones zest for a particular item...which is why I want feedback.

Having saidf that, I WAS going to grab TWO firepods, so I'm not stuck on one kind of setup...I'm open to ideas...

The firepods allow portability, But the mixing desk allows me to mixdwon/sum externally from the PC, and I believe provides better talkback & headphone routing options., and maybe even better pres's but I think they are on par with each other really...not 100% sure.

Anyway..Thanks fellow engineers for any feeback on this little setup!

Monitors are sorted (Dynaduio BM15a's) & mics are sorted... but I won't list them,,to save space. Good enough ones, I'll leave it at that.

Cheers

8-)

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Comments

anonymous Fri, 03/25/2005 - 07:00

I though maybe to post the full list anyway...so you might spot anything i may have missed. ....the gear I own already has an asterix,,, the gear i'm looking at getting doesn't. I;ve added a justifting comment to each bit o gear to explain why its there a bit... please dont think i'm just being a gear slut by posting this list...its just for the sake of completeness... FYI !

Antz Kit List

REC Soundcraft FX 16 16 channel mixing desk -chosen over mackie and others due to better pres to get me by till specialsed pres can take over a few channels
M Audio Delta 1010 - for clean 8 I/O as a budget rate
M Audio Delta 1010 - second one for second eight channels
*Pentium 4 3.2Ghz 1 G ram 1 Maxtor HD 40G 1 Seagate HD 160G - with Cubase SX 2.2
*Akai GX630D SS 4 track 1/4 inch reel to reel - 4 analog!
*Behringer autocom compressor - cheapass decent comp.
Alto 4 ch. headphone amp (similar league to Behringer does the job)
AKG k55 heaphones (6 pairs) cheap but effective

MON:*Dynaudio BM15a bi-amped actives - for easy listening & good solid translation.

Mics: Studio Projects - B1 (2) C3 (1) C4 (2) just cos u know why!
Kel Audio HM1 (2) - have tested...sweet warmer sound
Audix OM 2 (3) - alternative to Shure 57...better IMO!
Shure SM57 (2)- cos you just need 'em
*Shure Beta 52 (1) - flatest kick mic I heard out of a few....
*Avlex DV75 (1) - good mic for 57 style duties.
*Sennheiser E845 - (1) great on vox & other stuff
*Sennheiser MD412 - (not 421) old sentimental...needs fixing
*CAD 25 (1) - ok, to good dynamic
*Lane Lm 2 - (acts like Senn e815 or AKG d880) cheap copy that actually sounds pretty darn decent.

8-)

AudioGaff Thu, 04/07/2005 - 17:48

I don't see that you have a question that you can't answer or find the answer. Do your research and find the product that is the the best fit for you, your working style, your working requirements, has the features you want and/or like and that can best fit into your long term goals and gear investment.

Keep your expectations in check you skills, experience and the quality of your tools.

anonymous Sat, 04/09/2005 - 21:37

OK ...

I guess I was just after feedback...stuff I may have missed/overlooked, alternatives in case some of those items are just plain not happening etc. Others experiences.

I get your point. You are right, I appreciate your time & understand that you have a heck of a lot of people to help who probably need it more than I do at this stage. I was going to post this in the pro forum, but I figured the level of gear I'm operating with is leaning toward the budget side of things..

Anyway, thanks.

anonymous Tue, 04/12/2005 - 06:00

Hiya

That's quite cool...i'm sure it will fly up into more xpensive territory. I definately appreciate the heads up matey! Would sell the monitors as soon as I got them, but thats great as it would give me a return price.

I see the RME cards selling for buy it now around 900 or so, or was it 1000? around that price anyway. i'll have to get out my calculator to add it all up...

Anyway, thanks for the alert.

Off for a gander right now...